BF2S Forums Need upgrade advice

SargeV1.4 wrote:

ok, I'm finally upgrading my shitty processor and RAM.

Intel C2D 4300 €110,02
Corsair TWIN2X 5400 DDR2 2GB €95,00
Asrock 4CoreDual-VSTA €55 (has PCI-E/AGP)

Current hardware backing that up:

Thermaltake Toughpower 600watt (48 amps)
ATI x1950pro (AGP)
200gb maxtor SATA harddrive
Creative audigy 4

being replaced:

MSI k8mm-v mATX agp/754 motherboard
AMD 64 3000
1x1GB DDR ram

I'll replace the motherboard and video card later with a pure pci-e setup, and then upgrade the processor/ram again. For now, I desperately need a basic upgrade to get rid of the bottleneck I have that gets me bad FPS in every game.

I do want to overclock the 4300, though, and was wondering if it would work ok on that setup. I'll probably buy some aftermarket cooling and paste, too.

all good?

stay away from those low priced mobo's...you might regret it if you buy it. I have an asrock mobo, it is a piece of shit, but when i bought it it was a good motherboard.

SargeV1.4 wrote:

Nothing but good reviews, FFLink uses it, and Leetkyle highly recommended it.

Still, ASRock doesn't produce very durable mobos - yet, as you're using an AGP card, you will have to go with it...

Zimmer wrote:

No no and no.

Perhaps you didn't hear his 'budget' problem. It's low.
edit> Zimmer, RAM incompatible. The XFire can only handle up to 533, and there isn't even much of a performance difference between either unless you're overclocking, which he isn't (yet, but once he can afford to get new components, then I think he will opt for a better motherboard and RAM setup - for now, he's on this by the looks of it)

Stormscythe wrote:

Still, ASRock doesn't produce very durable mobos - yet, as you're using an AGP card, you will have to go with it...

I work around a lot of boards and hence me recommending it to FFLink (who bought it and has no regrets) and to Sarge who's about to buy it. He's on a budget and needs AGP. I can think of nothing better, can you? Here's what some review places had to say as well:

OCWB wrote:

Overall, we did not have any issues with the board pairing it up with the highest end processor and graphics card we have on hand. This board is definitely a choice for the performance users who needs the processing power of the Core 2 Duo. Video editors will definitely love the 1394 port and external eSATA enclosures can be fitted for easy data transfers. GbE might also come useful if you are into LAN gaming. It is definitely a recommended choice for those going for ray tracing, HD, video editing, gaming.  Check pricing link below.

techPowerUp! wrote:

ASRock has delivered a rock stable and very affordable motherboard with the 775XFire-eSATA2.

.. and that's just the first 2 reviews on Google, need I go on? The board is sound. It's a budget board, not a damned Asus Striker.

Last edited by leetkyle (2007-05-20 06:56:08)

leetkyle wrote:

Zimmer wrote:

No no and no.

Perhaps you didn't hear his 'budget' problem. It's low.
edit> Zimmer, RAM incompatible. The XFire can only handle up to 533, and there isn't even much of a performance difference between either unless you're overclocking, which he isn't (yet, but once he can afford to get new components, then I think he will opt for a better motherboard and RAM setup - for now, he's on this by the looks of it)

Stormscythe wrote:

Still, ASRock doesn't produce very durable mobos - yet, as you're using an AGP card, you will have to go with it...

I work around a lot of boards and hence me recommending it to FFLink (who bought it and has no regrets) and to Sarge who's about to buy it. He's on a budget and needs AGP. I can think of nothing better, can you? Here's what some review places had to say as well:

OCWB wrote:

Overall, we did not have any issues with the board pairing it up with the highest end processor and graphics card we have on hand. This board is definitely a choice for the performance users who needs the processing power of the Core 2 Duo. Video editors will definitely love the 1394 port and external eSATA enclosures can be fitted for easy data transfers. GbE might also come useful if you are into LAN gaming. It is definitely a recommended choice for those going for ray tracing, HD, video editing, gaming.  Check pricing link below.

techPowerUp! wrote:

ASRock has delivered a rock stable and very affordable motherboard with the 775XFire-eSATA2.

.. and that's just the first 2 reviews on Google, need I go on? The board is sound. It's a budget board, not a damned Asus Striker.

Well, if he is going AGP then ya I guess ASRock is okay. But AGP is goin bye-bye in a year or so.

leetkyle wrote:

SargeV1.4 wrote:

I desperately need a basic upgrade

SoC./Omega wrote:

Well, if he is going AGP then ya I guess ASRock is okay. But AGP is goin bye-bye in a year or so.

Well maybe not a year but it is going down. Although the X1950 should hold him up for a bit yet. He did say that he'd upgrade more later.

Well, it cutes differently for different people.
For example, my basic upgrade money would be £300 which would be more than enough for what I suggested.

Zimmer wrote:

No no and no.
That RAM is pretty slow. Get something better.
/searches
Corsair TWIN2X 6400 DDR2, 2048MB
How much are you willing to spend?

I would have got this
Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 2.13GHz

That is upgrading your computer.

He speaketh the truth, although the RAM that mobo can take is pretty sad so any old shit will do until you get a better motherboard (I have your mobo BTW, with an AGP x1950 Pro OCd, e6600, and 2GB of DDR yes, DDR not DDR2 lol, works remarkably well even with slow ass RAM, it honestly makes little difference in those mobos).

The CPU is the one I was going to reccomend you get if you can, it'll perform a lot better for you.

Funny as I'm sat at the PC with them in...

EDIT: typo

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2007-05-20 07:22:36)

leetkyle wrote:

Umm, no I assure you, you aren't.

DDR does NOT work with Core 2 Duo. You are either lying, or you just don't know about RAM..

edit: sarge; actually, do go with the 6400 stuff. it isn't compatible, but it downclock itself to 533 speeds, in theory anyway..

O rly.... I suggest you read up before you start calling people liars... Given the fact I'm sat here on a PC with DDR400 in it and an e6600 and you still say it can't work... I guess I'm typing telepathically on someone elses PC... Also Given the fact I've worked in I.T. for the past 3 years I think I might have some clue about whats in a PC I built...

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2007-05-20 07:40:16)

Yeah I know it's not the actual DIMM, it should underclock itself. Go ATI!

Yup max 2GB of DDR or DDR2, the blue slots are DDR and the yellow are DDR2.

leetkyle wrote:

TEP, what board do you have?

A retarded one. That's for sure.